A Broken Man.
Summary. . . . . . . . . How do you break a man, when pain is an everyday occurrence and can be controlled? Eliot and the team are about to find out, when an easy con turns out to be anything but.
Disclaimer. . . . . . . . Not mine, no money is being made; I'm just testing the waters of a new fandom.
A.N. . . . . . . . . . Yeah, I have my internet back! It's crazy how much you miss it when it's gone. Thanks for bearing with me whilst I've moved, and for taking time out to read, review, or add to favorites this fic. Without further ado here's chapter 10, and for those of you who missed him in the last chapter, Eliot's back, well somewhat. Peanut x
Sophie pulled her chair closer to the bed Eliot was resting upon, well if you could call it resting? She ignored the warnings that Nate had given her, to keep her distance just in case, and leaned ever closer to the man she had come to trust with her life, removing the now warm cloth from his overheated forehead, rinsing it once again in the bowl of cool water resting upon her bedside table before smoothing it back once more. She couldn't resist drawing her hand down his gaunt cheek, not liking the heat or the hollowness she felt there, or the stubble that coated it, but wanting, needing to bring some element of comfort in any way she could; it did little though to abate the tossing and turning of the younger man.
They should have known it wouldn't have been so easy to fix this; should have known that after everything they had witnessed Eliot suffering through, that his recovery would be anything but rocky. The infection and resultant fever had struck savagely, attacking the already weakened immune system, and sending Eliot's body into a downward spiral, which had seen him, delusional within minutes; thrashing and moaning upon the bed, and drenching sheets faster than they could change them. Both Parker and herself, had begged Nate at that point to take Eliot into hospital, even though they knew the risks that would be involve, both women hating seeing the usually strong man reduced to this; but Nate had held firm, choosing instead to battle on through using Eliot's own supplies, and those Parker gladly went out and stole, to help them; which was why the Grifter now found herself in this position.
The other's had tried to help, tried to offer their own comfort, but Parker couldn't stay still long enough, and Hardison couldn't handle the pitiful sight before him, and for some unknown reason Eliot seemed to now shrink from Nate's touch; so Sophie had taken up Eliot's wellbeing, her nurturing motherly side erupting from deep within her, and had spent hours sat by the hurting Hitter's side, offering comfort, soothing words, and a cool compress, and hoping that with each hour that past, Eliot would hear her, or feel her, and fight his way back. So far though, nothing had broken through, and her fears were heightening.
She inched even closer still, as Eliot's delusions gripped him all the more, and the mumbling upon the bed increased, words previously difficult to hear, now spewing forth loud and clear; limbs flailing as the younger man fought off invisible attackers, and cried out for help, for someone to save him. Tears fell freely from her eyes as those cries changed, and Eliot's pleas for it all to end, for his attackers to take his life, reached her ears.
"No Eliot, don't think that. You're safe back here with us, it's just a nightmare; just a nightmare." She cried out, as she rubbed her thumb in soothing circles upon his cheek hoping to mollify some of his distress, but her words fell upon deaf ears, and her comfort refused to break through. It seeming to her, as it so often did with Eliot that he turned away from it, not knowing how to handle it, that he didn't deserve it, or even to know what comfort was. "Eliot please calm down, please believe that you're safe, and with family, and that we need you back with us." She tried again, but all it seemed her words did, was to agitate the Hitter all the more.
Concern ratcheting, and seeing little else to do to calm him, Sophie stood, looked briefly at the door, Nate was going to kill her, before sitting on the edge of the bed and gentle lifting the frail man up. Maneuvering him about took little effort, thanks to all the weight he had lost; restraining his thrashing arms, made easier from his weakened state; until at last she had him as she wanted him, her back leaning against the mound of propped up pillows Parker had strewn across the bed, Eliot's own back resting against her torso, his sweat soaked head placed upon her chest. Her arms gently encircled him, not enough for him to feel restrained and get agitated, but enough to let him know someone was there for him, comforting him; a smile gracing her lips, as finally he seemed to still within her arms, his breathing evening out as his nightmare abated.
One arm moved upwards as Eliot drifted off into his first deep sleep in what seemed like days, her fingers gently toying with his damp locks, the motion relieving tension and bringing solace to both of them, and she found her own eyes drooping as the events of the last few weeks crashed down on her, exhaustion enveloping her, until everything around her faded into darkness.
It was Nate who found them that way hours later, his anger at Sophie washing away as he took in the relaxed state of the Hitter, and the refreshing and healing sleep he was now getting. Walking over, he placed a gentle hand upon the Hitter's forehead, checking for the fever that had refused to leave the younger man for so long, the dismay he felt at the Hitter once again flinching away from him, replaced soon after with joy as he noted the fiery heat had retreated; although still warm, Eliot's body was beginning to fight back.
He eased his way back out of the room, leaving his two team mates exactly as they were, allowing them both to rejuvenate from the contact. He had seen how depleted Sophie had been, seen how hard she had taken seeing Eliot as he was, and knew this closeness was helping them both. For that he was grateful, because he needed a fully functioning Sophie for the next stage. He had his plan, and it was now time to execute it.
A.N. . . . . . . . . . Sorry about the shortness, but this seemed like a good time to leave it for now. Will be back soon with more, Peanut x